Question

To convert measurements in the metric system, you can move the decimal point left or right. Why does this work?

Plz help

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Moving a decimal point to the left is dividing by 10 and moving a decimal point to the right is multiplying by 10, as the places are in powers of 10.

1s, 10s, 100s, 1000s, and so on.

The metric system is represented in the decimal system, and the metric units are also in powers of 10, like the decimal system.

For example, centimetres is one hundredths of a meters, or $m^{-3}$

Millimetres is one thousandths of a meters, or $m^{-4}$

10 millimetres make a centimetre, or $m^{-4} * 10 = m^{-3}$

As the decimal and the metric systems are perfectly aligned with the powers of tens, moving the decimal point works.